my stock 05 3.7 liter has an annoying creaking sound everytime the passenger side front suspension is put under load. I got underneath it but could not pinpoint the sound, went as far as to put a stethascope on the ball joints, tie rod end and strut but it sounded the same everywhere. I found that both tie rod ends had some wear and replaced them....but I still have my noise. Ball joints feel solid with no play at all when moving the tire from the top and bottom.

Does this sound like struts? Just turned 50,000 miles. If so what is involved with replacing struts and what struts do you recommend? Does the strut assembly come with the spring or does that need to be pulled off and put in the new unit?

Any help would be greatly appreciated, I have been chasing this noise for two weeks and have gone nowhere fast

 

Did you look at the sway bar end links? Alot of us had to replace them after only a few years, maybe the top snapped off the link.

 

The spring needs to be removed in order to install the front shock (strut).